Japan's Yoshie Takeshita and Mai Yamaguchi show their defensive capabilities

Komaki, Japan, August 11, 2011 – While unbeaten USA will be the favourites in Group H of the 2011 FIVB World Grand Prix this weekend, Japan will, as always, be tough to beat at home.

First on the agenda for Japan is Serbia, who took the Americans to five sets in their first weekend in China. Serbia easily disposed of Kazakhstan 3-0, but they dropped a set in their clash with China.

Serbia coach Zoran Terzic is aware of the tough challenge his team face in their first match.

“It's easy to play against Japan if you're a team like Russia,” he told the media playfully. “In any other case, you have a big problem, because they play very well, especially in defense and they are very fast. But everybody knows that; it's not new. We've played Japan four or five times in the last five years and it's always a difficult and good game. I hope it will be again, and it's our turn to win, I think.”

They may be due a win against Japan, but it won't come easy. Japan lost their first match to Brazil last weekend, but breezed past Korea and Germany in their next two matches. After their victory in the Montreux Volley Masters earlier this summer and their bronze medal at last year's World Championship, Japan are on a roll, but coach Masayoshi Manabe says his team are only up to around 50 per cent of the level he wants to take them.

“We want to be better by the time the World Cup comes around,” he told the press, adding that his team's strength comes from their heart and mental resilience, factors that tend to be magnified when they play at home, as they will do this week and next.

On the Serbian side, the top player in scoring is Sanja Malagurski (second). For spiking, it's Malagurski (13th), blocking, Malagurski (13th) and serving, Malagurski (18th). Terzic will undoubtedly be looking for major contributions from all his players in Friday's game, which kicks off at 6pm local time (9am GMT).